South Texas College of Law Houston has once again demonstrated its excellence in legal writing as three recent graduates have been awarded the 2024 Scribes Brief-Writing Award by the American Society of Legal Writers. This marks the sixth time the institution has received this distinguished national honor, further cementing its position as a leader in legal writing and advocacy.
The winning team was comprised of Joshua Fojtik ’23, Madelyn Chidester ’24, and Armon Mehrinfar ’24, who are now practicing attorneys at prominent law firms. Their award-winning brief was originally submitted for the 31st Annual National Health Law Moot Court Competition at Southern Illinois University in 2022, where it not only won Best Brief but also helped the team secure victory in the overall competition.
Fojtik noted, “I appreciate the support and guidance I received throughout the advocacy program and law school. This award is the quintessential cherry on top of a fantastic law school experience. Thank you to Prof. Galloway and everyone who helped us achieve this honor.”
The Scribes Brief-Writing Award, established in 1996, represents the pinnacle of excellence in legal writing among law students nationwide. The selection process is notably rigorous; only briefs that have won best brief awards at national advocacy competitions are eligible for consideration. These submissions are evaluated by a panel of professors, judges, and practicing attorneys, with the top 15 to 20 briefs advancing to the Brief-Writing-Award Committee for final selection.
“This is a fantastic honor,” said Rob Galloway, the W. James Kronzer, Jr., Distinguished Professor of Advocacy. “Out of all the briefs that won moot court competitions around the nation, ours was the best of the best. What a tribute to our legal writing program, our advocacy program, and our hard-working students.”
The success reflects South Texas Law’s longstanding commitment to excellence in legal writing and advocacy. Since first entering the Scribes competition in 1999, the school has accumulated an impressive record of six first-place Best-Brief Awards, 10 second-place runner-up awards, and nine third-place honorable mentions.
The winning team members have already launched successful careers in various areas of law:
- Fojtik is a commercial litigator with Hicks Thomas, focusing on managed care litigation.
- Chidester practices personal injury and general civil litigation defense at Brown Sims.
- Mehrinfar specializes in civil litigation at Serpe Andrews.
Original source can be found here.